Romao demonstrated heart-healthy cooking last Friday at the Heart Health Institute. The seminar was attended by a handful of individuals who have decided to change their lifestyles in order to benefit their hearts and overall health.

"I am not Emeril," began Romao as she began her demonstration of how to prepare a low-fat, low-sodium, high-fiber meal. Using limited resources, in a small kitchen area in the Heart Health Institute's library, she prepared a main course, side dish, vegetable and dessert.

She explained how to alter recipes and how to choose heart healthy ingredients.

"You don't want to do a lot of canned products," she said and explained that canned products are often high in sodium, which is the bane of healthy blood pressure. "You can remove a lot of the sodium by soaking," she said.

Romao had soaked canned chick peas for several hours; changing the water no less than three times to rinse away the added salt.

"Beans are very heart-healthy," said Romao about the chick peas. "Beans have protein, calcium and fiber."

The rinsed chick peas were part of a recipe for "Casablanca Couscous," which Romao prepared and passed around for the seminar participants to sample.

"It's dry," said Pat Patstone, one of the participants after the first bite.

Romao recommended marinating the chicken in the yogurt-based marinade for longer than the two to three hours suggested by the recipe.

"I tend to be pretty plain," she said.

Hearth-healthy food, however, doesn't have to be plain. "Using a variety of spices is good," she continued.

Instead of using salt and butter to flavor and texturize food, Romao recommended generous helpings of garlic, citrus juice and spices.

To help the participants navigate the spice closet, Romao handed out a "Spice Advice Chart," published by spice makers, Tone Bros, Inc. The spice chart lists common spices and the different foods they complement. The spice chart can be found online at www.spiceadvice.com.

Romao's demonstration also included a vegetable: baby minted carrots and, of course, some dessert: fruit dipped in dark chocolate.

"You can dip anything in chocolate," said Romao. Seminar participants tasted strawberries and kiwi, but Romao suggested bananas and even pineapple.

As the participants enjoyed the heart-healthy dessert, Romao gave some general advice for hearth-healthy cooking.

"Try different recipes to play around with," she said. "Take out as much fat, sugar and sodium as possible."

The participants also had some input.

As regular Heart Health Institute members who regularly attend seminars, lectures and events at the institute, they have learned a lot about how food impacts heart health if the consumer isn't paying attention.

"Salt is everywhere," said Sturniolo.

Fred Patstone added, "Everything is over-salted. This so-called sea-salt has the same amount of sodium."

"Salt is salt is salt." echoed Pat Patstone.

Robinson said she has learned to pay close attention to how much fat is in the food she eats. Since she began to attend events at the Heart Health Institute, Robinson has also learned how to change her shopping habits in order to bring home healthy groceries.

"There are a lot of new products out there," she said. "I probably never would have noticed them."

She also said that she shops around the perimeter of the supermarket for fresh rather than packaged foods.

"The more work you have to do to prepare your food the better," said Romao. However, that doesn't mean heart healthy foods have to be a chore.

"You have to have fun with your food," she said.

Baby minted carrots

Dietitian's tip: Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, which is converted by the body into vitamin A (retinol). Vitamin A helps maintain vision and promotes the growth of healthy cells and tissues. Carrots also contain lutein, which is thought to protect the retina. One serving of this recipe provides twice the estimated daily requirement for vitamin A.

6 cups water

1 lb. baby carrots, rinsed

1/4 c. apple juice

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 T. chopped fresh mint leaves

1/8 t. ground cinnamon

Serves 6

Put six cups of water into a large saucepan. Add the carrots and boil until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain the carrots and set aside in a serving bowl.

In a separate saucepan over moderate heat, combine the apple juice and cornstarch. Stir until the mixture thickens, about five minutes. Stir in the mint and cinnamon.

Add the chickend and toss until coated with marinade. Covera nd refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Preheat grill pan or indoo electric grill to high.

Place chicken on hot grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until charred at edges and firm in the middle. Serve hot.

— Recipe from Modern Indian Cooking by Hari Nayak and Vikas Khanna, published by Silverback Books.

*Note: Heather Romao did not use salt or the garam masala for my recipe.

Casablanca Couscous

4 c. hot cooked couscous*

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained*

2 T. toasted pine nuts,

2 T. minced fresh parsley

2 T. lemon juice *

1 t. minced garlic

Serves 4

* Note: Heather Romao used whole-wheat couscous and then orange juice instead of lemon juice. She usually adapts her recipes to have some fun. She also rinsed and soaked the beans for several hours to remove some salt.

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